North Korean leader Kim Jong-un urged the country’s scientists to accelerate development of military artificial intelligence and unmanned aircraft technology, as Pyongyang showcased drones and held demonstrations involving cruise missiles and a 600-millimeter multiple rocket launcher, the North's state media reported Friday.
The exhibition, titled “Unmanned Aeronautical Technology Development-2026,” was held Thursday, according to the Korean Central News Agency. It featured strategic, operational and tactical multipurpose drones, as well as suicide attack drones.
A related demonstration involved tactical exploding drones, tactical cruise missiles, air-to-surface missiles launched from multipurpose drones and a 600 mm multiple rocket launcher battalion, KCNA said.
Photographs released by KCNA showed Kim accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol-ju, and daughter, Ju-ae. Her appearance at the exhibition came a day after South Korea’s National Intelligence Service assessed that Ju-ae is being groomed as Kim’s designated successor through a “military leader” narrative. The agency said military-related events account for nearly 60 percent of her public appearances and that North Korea has also staged scenes suggesting her involvement in nuclear and missile affairs.
KCNA claimed the drones and cruise missiles struck an island target with “100 percent accuracy.” The claim could not be independently verified. It also said the combat firing of the 600 mm launcher, known as the “Sniper,” had been publicly demonstrated for the first time.
Kim described drone technology as indispensable to gaining an edge in the changing character of modern warfare and called for the swift expansion of North Korea’s unmanned aerial capabilities.
“Strength precisely means peace and peace is guaranteed only by strength,” Kim said, calling on scientists to produce “miraculous results” in unmanned aviation technology and defense AI, according to KCNA.
He also instructed the defense sector to place unmanned weapon systems on a high-level AI basis and optimize their operational capabilities, describing the effort as a top priority for building modern armed forces.
The event coincided with South Korea’s detection of about 10 short-range ballistic missiles launched from the Wonsan area toward the East Sea. A military official in Seoul said the weapons were believed to have been KN-25 super-large multiple rocket launchers, which Pyongyang has claimed can be fitted with its Hwasan-31 tactical nuclear warhead.
The launches were North Korea’s 17th ballistic missile test of the year and its first in 17 days, following a launch on Oct. 12.
KCNA did not disclose the location of the exhibition or the weapons demonstration. However, the structures visible in state media images suggested the event may have been held at Wonsan Kalma Airport, where North Korea marked the 80th anniversary of its air force last year.
mkjung@heraldcorp.com
